I love long distance endurance sports. I’ve run two marathons (42,2km), many half marathons, hiked over 25 mountains with some multiple mountain days of 12 to 14 hours of hiking. I enjoy pushing myself. Pushing the limits of what my body and mind are capable of. But cycling 100km without proper training was the hardest thing I’ve ever done.

On Saturday, my friend Monica, and I left home at 6:30am to drive the 45 minutes to the bike trail we wanted to take. We had done this trail last fall when she ran 60km and I cycled along with her. It is a beautiful trail made along an old railroad track. Gorgeous scenery with wild animals. We saw nesting geese, beavers, porcupine and countless birds.

We started out around 7:30am. It was great. Very few people on the trail. It was cold though. When we left the house, it was snowing. The forecast said it would warm up, so we toughed out the morning. We were not counting on the wind, however.

The trail had a slight incline the entire way and a strong headwind. It was very physically demanding. The first 30km were good. We chatted and got some good speed. The next 20km was a big struggle for me and I was worried. We weren’t even halfway, and it was really hard.

I had biked 50km a couple months ago with Monica as she did her 100km run. I was biking at her running speed, and we walked many of the giant hills that were along her route. I thought I was prepared for this adventure, but I was not. This first 50km was really tough. The wind was brutal and disheartening. But we kept telling ourselves and each other once we turn around it will be ok. It will be easier and faster on the way back. The wind will push us along.

After 3 hours and 45 minutes, we stopped at the 50km mark to eat our sandwich wraps at a picnic table. The wind was bitterly cold. So we inhaled our food and set out again with only a ten-minute break. The sun had come out, and we were starting our second half. We were optimistic.

The wind buffeted us from the side. We could feel a slight decline, but it was still difficult to peddle. I was wearing my large hiking backpack to carry my first aid kit, water bladder, and food. I had also brought it because it was supposed to be warm, and I wanted somewhere to put my jacket once I got hot. The bag was unwieldy and uncomfortable after 60km of biking. We stopped, and I tried many ways to strap it to my bike. It didn’t fit properly, so I put it onto my back again and left the shoulder straps off. The belt around my waist kept it attached to me, but gave my neck and shoulders some relief. I swore I would buy some bags for my bicycle, the first chance I got.

We crossed many nice bridges with rushing water beneath, making me want to go white water rafting again soon. We took a quick break on one bridge. It felt like heaven to lie down. We could have stayed there for ages, but we pressed on.

The wind and fatigue took its toll on our speed. We got slower and slower the longer we peddled. The 60 to 70km mark felt so incredibly long. We laughed because we could literally run faster than we were cycling. We were getting passed left and right by senior citizens. All we could say was that we doubted anyone else was out there for 100km. We took our solace where we could get it. 😉

Everything hurt on our bodies. The same continuous movement was wearing on our joints. Monica was struggling as much as I was. I laughed and told her I was just a tiny bit happy that she was also in pain. Proved to me she was indeed human. I had had my doubts after she ran 100km a couple months ago. She said running it had been much easier because she had trained for months in preparation. This bike ride was supposed to be a fun endeavor. We greatly underestimated the difficulty of such a feat sans training.

Monica got shooting pains going through her knees. We took a short walking break and my quads immediately seized up. Not peddling was more painful for me than peddling.

We kept our spirits up, though. Monica and I have been through many endurance based activities together. From running two marathons to hiking dozens of mountains in all seasons, including four mountains in one day where we ran out of water during the summer’s heat. We make a good team. Making stupid jokes and laughing through the pain. Giving up is not an option for either of us. Knowing that neither of us would quit, we just kept going.

We didn’t speak during the last five km of this day. The silence was broken by our whimpers of pain and curses when a new gust of wind knocked us in the face.

That last five km was when I realized how much I enjoyed endurance sports. That period that always comes at the end of a very very long day. When your body is crying out in pain and you are so tired you could cry. But you know you have to keep going. You put your head down and the entire world narrows to the area directly in front of you. Knowing that each step you take, each minute you pass, is getting you that much closer to the end. To your goal. That is where the magic happens. That is when you prove to yourself that anything is possible when giving up is not an option.

Go slow, go even slower, but do not give up. Eventually, you will get where you’re going. There is beauty in that.

We hit the 100km mark on our GPS watches after 8 hours and 35 minutes of peddling.

We were expecting it taking about five and a half hours. It took three hours more than we thought and was so very difficult. At the halfway point, I thought that this was the second hardest thing I had ever done. Number one being my first marathon, 42.2km of running in 30C heat on asphalt in Montreal for 5 hours and 15 minutes. But as we hit the seven-hour mark of cycling, I determined that no, this 100km bike ride was the hardest thing I had ever done. Monica said it hurt worse than childbirth since her labours were much shorter and less painful than our “fun” bike ride.

But we did it! We set a goal for 100km and we reached it.

The moral of the story is that anything is possible, but it is much less painful if you properly train in advance.

What is the longest bike ride you’ve ever done? When did you last push yourself outside of your comfort zone?

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